Please check my folder daily to see what there is new. Help me to remember what I must nightly do. Talk with me about the work so you and I will know What I must do to help my amazing brain to grow.

 

Helpful Hints for Homework

 

Grading

 

As you look over your child’s work, you may notice circles, stars, the letters “B”, “D”, or “S”, and/or “OK” written on papers. The following definitions explain the meaning of the notations. Please keep in mind, the purpose of the notations is to guide my instruction. None of the notations indicate whether a child is working below, at, or above grade level. Direct those questions to me. Enjoy sitting down with your child and looking over his/her masterpieces of learning!

Circles, Stars, and OK’s

• Circle – the answer is wrong
• Circle with a Star – answer was wrong and corrected.
• Star(s) – work is complete and correct.
• OK – work is complete, but it may be sloppy, meeting minimal requirements, etc.

General Rubric

Grading Rubric Definitions	S Secure	D+ Nearly Secure	D Developing	D- Beginning Developing	B Beginning	X Not Evaluated
Definitions	Child demonstrates independent ability to meet the content, thinking processes, and demands of the task. The responses reflect a broad range of understanding and the ability to apply the understanding in different contexts.	Child can revise work in order to achieve a secure performance with the help of feedback. While understanding is good, it is not quite Secure or completely independent.	Child is not ready to revise/correct work without conversation or more teaching, but demonstrates partial competency.	Child is showing some understanding, yet must follow directions and work closely with the teacher to complete the task.	Child is unable to complete the task without teacher assistance. Responses indicate little understanding of the concepts involved.

 

Parents of first and second graders are invited to:

 

Links to Area Libraries

Lewiston Library
http://www.cityoflewiston.org/index.aspx?nid=91

Whitman County Library
http://www.whitco.lib.wa.us/

Colton Library -  A Brach of Whitman County Library
http://www.whitco.lib.wa.us/locationsandhours/colton.htm

Uniontown Library – A Branch of Whitman County Library
http://www.whitco.lib.wa.us/locationsandhours/uniontown.htm

Neill Public Library, Pullman
http://www.neill-lib.org/Departments/Library/Default.aspx

Latah County Library, Moscow
http://www.latahlibrary.org

 

 

Best Books of 2011

 

Children's and Young Adult Selections

Adult Selections

 

First Grade Math

 

Describe and Compare Numbers

In kindergarten students began recognizing patterns based on characteristics such as size, shape, and color.  In first grade, students build upon these concepts by identifying simple repeating patterns using shapes and numbers.  In this chapter, students review reading, counting, and working with numbers up to 20.  In addition, students extend their number sense by comparing and ordering numbers using the terms greater than, less than, and equal to.

Math Vocabulary:

digit - a symbol used to write numbers.  The ten digits are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. 
is equal to – having the same value, is equal to
Example: 2 + 4 = 6 and 8 = 5 + 3
is greater than – (>) the number on the left side of the symbol is larger than the number on the right side.   Example: 7 > 2, 7 is greater than 2
is less than – (<) the number on the left side of the symbol is less than the number on the right side.  Example:  4 < 6, 4 is less than 6
number – tells how many
number line – a line with numbers labeled
order – these numbers are in order:  1, 3, 6, 7, 9
pattern – an order that a set of objects or numbers follows over and over.  Example:  AABAABAAB, and 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25
pattern unit – the part of the pattern that repeats.  Example from previous patterns – AAB is a pattern unit, and adding five is a pattern unit.

Want more vocabulary information?  You can find interactive definitions in the eGlossary at macmillanmh.com. Or try: 
http://www.mhschool.com/math/mathconnects
Math Literature:
Pattern Fish, Trudy Harris; Beep Beep, Vroom Vroom!, Stuart J. Murphy; Icky Bug Numbers 1 2 3, and The Icky Bug Book 1 2 3; Jerry Pallotta; Gray Rabbit’s 1 2 3, Alan Baker; More, Fewer, Less, Tana Hoban; One Hundred is a Family, Pam Munoz Ryan; One Moose, Twenty Mice, Clare Beaton; Count!, Denise Fleming; One… Two… Three… Sassafrass! Stuart J. Murphy

 

Develop Addition Concepts

First Grade

Up to this point, the experiences students have had with addition have been very concrete.  In first grade, addition becomes more abstract as students move from modeling addition to writing number sentences.  They also become more familiar with the addition sign (+).  In this chapter, students discover many ways to add single-digit numbers with sums up to 12.  Students also learn to write addition facts vertically.

Math Vocabulary:

        add – to join together sets to find the total, or sum

addition sentence – an expression using numbers and the + and = sign

        equals (=) – having the same value or is the same as

        plus (+) – a symbol to show addition

        sum – the answer to an addition problem

Want more vocabulary information?  You can find interactive definitions in the eGlossary at macmillanmh.com. Or try: 

http://www.mhschool.com/math/mathconnects

 Math Literature:

The Gingerbread Boy, Richard Egielski; Mama Cat Has Three Kittens, D. Fleming; Rooster’s Off to See The World, E. Carle; Quack and Count, K. Baker; Anno’s Counting Book, Mitsumasa; Counting in the Garden, K. Parker; Count the Ways, Little Brown Bear, J. London; Monster Math Picnic, G. Maccarone; One More Bunny, Rick Walton

 

Develop Subtraction Concepts

First Grade

Because addition and subtraction are opposite operations, it is no surprise that many concepts in this chapter mirror those in the previous chapter.  Students begin by using modeling to solve subtraction stories and problems, and then move to a more abstract representation of subtraction involving writing complete subtraction sentences with minus (-) and equals (=) symbols.  In addition, students subtract from numbers up to 12 and learn to vertically align subtraction problems.

Math Vocabulary:

difference – the answer to a subtraction problem

        equals (=) – having the same value or is the same as

        minus – the sign used to show subtraction

subtract – to take away, take apart, separate, or find the difference between two sets

subtraction sentence – an expression using numbers and the – and = signs

Want more vocabulary information?  You can find interactive definitions in the eGlossary at macmillanmh.com. Or try: 

http://www.mhschool.com/math/mathconnects

 Math Literature:

Anno’s Counting Book, Mitsumasa; Rooster’s Off to See the World, Eric Carle; Ten Tiny Monsters, Sheila White Samton; Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, Eileen Christelow; Six Snowy Sheep, Judith Ross Enderle and Stephanie Gordon Tessler; Anno’s Counting Book, Mitsumasa Anno; Ten Black Dots, Donald Crews; Ten Seeds, Ruth Brown; Ten Sly Piranhas, William Wise; Subtraction Action, Loreen Leedy; One Less Fish, AllanSheather and Kim Toft

 

 

Second Grade Math

 

Place Value to 100 and Patterns

The concept of place value is the foundation of the base-ten system of numeration.  In this chapter, students work with place value through 100.  They learn to count by tens and to read and write number symbols and number words for tens.
Next, the place value concept is extended to interpret a two-digit number as tens and ones.  For example, the number 58 is interpreted to be 5 tens and 8 ones.
Math Vocabulary:
digit - a symbol used to write numbers.  The ten digits are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
estimate - finding a number close to an exact amount
is equal to (=) - having the same value
is greater than (>) - the number of the left side of the symbol is greater than the number on the right side
is less than (<) - the number on the left side of the symbol is less than the number on the right side
ones - a place value of a number (Example – In the number 23, the 3 is in the ones place.  This number has 3 ones.)
place Value - the value given to a digit by its place in a number
tens - a place value of a number  (Example:  In the number 23, the 2 is in the tens place.  This number has 2 tens.)
Want more vocabulary information?  You can find interactive definitions in the eGlossary at macmillanmh.com. Or try: 
http://www.mhschool.com/math/mathconnects

Math Literature:
One…Two…Three…Sassafras!, Stuart Murphy, One Moose, Twenty Mice, Clare Beaton, and Count!, Denise Fleming; Spunky Monkeys on Parade, Stuart J. Murphy; More or Less, Stuart J. Murphy; The Father Who Had 10 Children, Benedict Guettier, Out for the Count, Kathryn Cave, The Case of the Missing Birthday Party, Joanne Rocklin; One Hundred Ways to Get to 100, Jerry Pallotta; The Grapes of Math, Greg Tang; Henry the Fourth, Stuart J. Murphy; One Hundred Hungry Ants, Elinor J. Pinczes.

 

Apply Addition Concepts

Second Grade

In this chapter, students examine addition strategies, begin to learn basic facts, and introduced to the properties of addition.  The first strategy they learn is the Commutative Property of addition.  This important property enables students to understand that most facts have a turnaround fact with the same addends.  Therefore, the burden of facts master is significantly reduced.

The second property is the Associative Property of addition.  This property enables students to understand that adding numbers in different ways can give the same sum. 

Finally students learn how to make a ten to find sums.  This is a critical strategy because it is a prerequisite skill for regrouping. 

Math Vocabulary:

        add – to join together sets to find the total or sum.

        addend – any numbers of quantities being added.

        count on – start at a number on a number line and count up.

        sum – the answer when you add numbers

doubles – two addends that are the same number.

Want more vocabulary information?  You can find interactive definitions in the eGlossary at macmillanmh.com. Or try: 

http://www.mhschool.com/math/mathconnects

Math Literature:

The Grapes of Math, Greg Tang; 100^th Day Worries, Margery Cuyler; The Berenstain Bears and the Missing Dinosaur Bone, Stan and Jan Berenstain; Double the Ducks, Stuart J. Murphy; How Much is That Guinea Pig in the Window?, Joanne Rockllin; Mall Mania, Stuart J. Murphy; Ten Friends, Ben Goldstone; The King’s Chessboard, David Birch; The 512 Ants on Sullivan Street, Carol A. Losi

 

Apply Subtraction Concepts

Second Grade

In this chapter, students build on their understanding of whole number operations as they learn subtraction strategies.  Some students may find subtraction more challenging to grasp than addition.  Therefore, it is recommended that students focus on strategies that accentuate the relationship between subtraction and addition.

Math Vocabulary:

count back – on a number line with numbers, count from a higher number to a lower number

difference – the answer to a subtraction problem

fact family – a group of related facts

inverse – operations that undo each other

missing addends – a number that is absent from an addition sentence

related facts - a collection of three numbers that make up addition and subtraction facts.  Example:  3, 2, 5 numbers make the following addition and subtraction sentences which are also knows as a fact family 3+2=5, 2+3=5, 5-3=2, 5-2=3

subtract – to take away

Want more vocabulary information?  You can find interactive definitions in the eGlossary at macmillanmh.com. Or try: 

http://www.mhschool.com/math/mathconnects

Math Literature:

Ten Sly Piranhas, William Wise; The Hershey’s Kisses Subtraction Book, Jerry Pallotta; Domino Addition, Lynette Long; Subtraction Action, Loreen Leedy; Sea Sums, Joy N. Hulme; Safari Park, Stuart J. Murphy; Math Fables, Greg Tang; How Many Bluebirds Flew Away? Paul Gigianti, Jr.; Benny’s Pennies, Pat Brisson

 

Writing

 

Process Writing Terms and Definitions

Prewriting

Students use prewriting activities to discover topics they know and care about.  They talk about topics to develop a sense of purpose and the effect they want to have on their audience.  Talking helps children explore their topics before the writing begins.

Rough Draft

When students write a rough draft, they focus on getting ideas down on paper.  They think as they go, cross out, leave blanks, switch directions, use abbreviations, draw pictures, and write as much as they can.

*First and second graders’ homework is normally at the rough draft stage.  Children circle words they think are misspelled, add punctuation, and use capitalization with varying degrees of proficiency.

Revising

Students go back to what they have written.  They ask themselves:  “Do I make sense?”  “Have I said it in an interesting way?”  They add, cut, move words, phrases, sentences, and paragraphs without tedious recopying.  They read aloud what they have written and discuss with the peers, teachers and/or volunteers. 

Editing

Students check spelling, capitalization, punctuation, sentence structure, and word usage.  They do with peers, teachers and/or volunteers.

Publishing

Students or teachers make a clean, correct copy to share.  Students illustrate, make books, prepare presentations and/or read their pieces to an audience.

 

Science

 

 

 

Spelling Ideas

 

Before practicing the words, have your child read the words to you. Encourage him or her to practice nightly in one or more of these ways:

• Read and spell each word. Cover it up and write it. Uncover the word and check to see if it is correct.
• Read the word then sing and dance to the word’s spelling.
• Find the words on the spelling list in printed materials such as books and magazines. 
  Read a word aloud and ask your child to spell it (either aloud in a sing song voice or on paper).
• Scramble the letters and have your child unscramble the letters, then read and/or sing and dance while reading and spelling the word.
• During the week, students complete daily spelling assignments. Spelling tests are Friday mornings.

 

 

 

	Reading Together
Before reading, take a few minutes to preview the piece.  This helps readers to tie this piece to personal experiences, interests, and/or similar books.  Continue a dialogue about the book during and after reading it.  If at any time it becomes apparent the book is too difficult for your child to read, read it to him/her instead.
Suggested Strategies to Decode Words 1.  Praise your child when he/she stops reading because he/she doesn’t      know a word or the word didn’t make sense. This self-monitoring      ability is an essential element of reading. 2.  Wait to see if your child can self-correct. 3.  Cue your child to use a decoding strategy. look at the pictures “stretch and shrink” the word reread beginning of sentence or phrase skip unknown word, read on, and return to the beginning of the sentence or phrase to try again think “What would make sense?” using word, picture, and context clues chunk it (look at the word in smaller parts 4.  Tell the unknown word.      Try saying "Would ________ make sense here?"      or      "Does ___________ sound right?"   Have fun reading